


Only

by theknightofdoom



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Albino Dave, Confessions, Deaf Karkat Vantas, Fluff, Highschoolstuck, Hispanic Karkat, Humanstuck, M/M, Mute Dave, Mute Dave Strider, One-Shots, POV Karkat Vantas, POV Third Person, Promstuck, also failing at writing, but hey heres more gays, davekat - Freeform, im trash, most of them are just mention lolol, trying to be cool but failing, way too much description
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-16
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-18 05:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3557987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theknightofdoom/pseuds/theknightofdoom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only, he told him that he loved him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Only, he told him that he loved him

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by that tumblr post about if you took the sentence "She told him she loved him", you could put only anywhere and it would still make sense, but would change the meaning.
> 
> Gonna be one of these for each sentence basically.

_~~Only, he told him he loved him.~~ _

Karkat wondered if, maybe, it could have been like this forever. Or at least, if it could've been that way if he hadn't said anything.

Everything had been as close to perfect as it could of been under the circumstances. They worked so well together - the easy joking and meaningless insults, the times they would sometimes just sit in silence because anywhere else, anyone else, would of been too loud. The way that they'd occasionally vent and complain and even cry like they would to no one else, and then it would never be mentioned again; a momentary reprieve that needn't be dredged up time and time again. The wordless agreement that meant they were always there for each other. The fact that although Karkat thought he was being completely obvious in his feelings for him, Dave had the courtesy to not bring it up.

Or maybe he didn't know. But Karkat never took Dave as being the naïve and oblivious type.

This wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't what he had planned; it wasn't what he wanted. It was the simple fact that the hall was getting stuffy with the shiny banners and colourful confetti flashing with bright lights, and a deep bass that pulsed against his feet. Slipping away was easy with everyone preoccupied by their friends, their dates or more likely someone else's. Karkat had never been that into prom, anyway.

He much preferred it up here. He decided that it was kinda clichéd that he was on the roof, but he blamed that on his blonde friend.

_"Hey, why don't we ditch that greasy court for somewhere quieter?"_

_"What, so that you can hear the sound of your infuriating voice better?"_

_"We both know my voice is a blessing to whoever's ears are graced with it falling on, bro."_

_"I'm not convinced that that is a fact that I apparently know."_

_"I was thinking the roof."_

_"The roof? Really? How the fuck would we even get up there?"_

_"The janitor still doesn't know what happened to his spare set of keys."_

_"You are an absolute asshole, you know that right? We better not get caught and stuck with some bullshit detention or I'll gut you like a god damn fish. Now hurry up, I'm fucking starving."_

With the cold concrete against his back and the surprisingly clear evening sky splayed out before him, Karkat could pretend for a moment that it wasn't going to change. That school wasn't almost over, that he wouldn't have to watch his friends split off in different directions, that he wouldn't have to say goodbye to that complete shitsniffer that he had feelings for. At some point his eyes closed, but he didn't even realise until they snapped open at the familiar sound of the roof door.

The sound of it opening was unmistakable. It had never been quiet - it had to be shoved slightly on the bottom left or it got stuck, so it always created this loud bang which was followed by the sound of it scraping against the worn, grey surface that topped the building.

The short boy didn't think that anyone would notice he left, especially not Strider. Surely he would be dancing with Terezi or Jade or John or maybe even Rose. That's what was supposed to happen. He shouldn't be here.

Trust him not to follow a very basic script. He had always said he preferred improvisation.

"Yo, Karkles, bro. You a'ight?"

He didn't wait for Karkat to reply, but rather sauntered over and clambered gracefully down to the cool stone that contrasted pleasantly to the humid air that still hung around them tightly. Not looking at him, but rather the darkening expanse that glittered lightly with stars, Dave spoke again. His voice seemed a little softer this time. "Why're you up here? Downstairs is where the parties at."

Deciding to stop looking at him and follow suit in stargazing, Karkat shrugs. "I needed some air."

"They say that the higher up you go, the less oxygen there is."

"That's at high altitudes, shit head, not on the roof of a four storey building."

"Only tellin' you to be careful, bro."

Silence fell again, and normally that would be fine. Normally, Karkat would sit contently without saying a word to the shade-donned boy next to him. But this wasn't normally, and Dave had to go. This wasn't supposed to happen, damn it.

"You should go back down. It's our last prom, why bother wasting it up here?"

"I could say the same thing."

"Strider. Seriously, just go back to Terezi or whatever."

Karkat realized, all too late, he shouldn't of said that. He hadn't used a bitter tone, but the words were biting enough to pique Dave's interest. He would be harder to get to leave now.

"What?"

Maybe he could just pretend he didn't say that, maybe he'd just let it go. "Go back to prom, I don't get why-"

"No, what about Terezi. What did you mean by that." That tone said it all. Dave would not be simply letting it go.

"I didn't mean anything. You're assuming shit, as always. Now g-"

"You're lying, dude, I've told you before what a crap liar you are."

"Jesus Christ, stop interrupting me!"

"I'll stop if you tell me what you meant."

"I just meant that you should be with Terezi or someone instead of up here. That's it."

"Why should I?"

"I... because. You just should."

"S'not really a reason, man."

Sighing, he runs a hand through his hair. Kanaya had forced him to allow her to style the wild mess of ebony hair that he had long ago given up on taming, and she had done a rather good job. It was probably a mess again now, though. "You're not meant to be here."

That made Dave turn his head lazily to look at his friend with a slightly incredulous, yet somehow still amused expression. Pale eyebrows raised over black plastic, the right corner of his mouth twitching up. It looked good on him, but that was saying much considering Karkat always thought he looked good. "I'm not meant to be here?"

"No. You're meant to be downstairs."

"Says who?"

"Me."

"Maybe I don't want to be downstairs."

"Bullshit."

"Maybe I'd rather you were downstairs."

"You can't always have what you want."

"You can't always have what you planned."

Karkat was looking back at him now. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Maybe he was right. Maybe it would change everything, but how long was everything going to last like this anyway? But he still couldn't help but wonder if everything would've stayed the same. Maybe it could've done.

Only, he told him he loved him.


	2. He Told Him Only That He Loved Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He told him only that he loved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im awful and im not putting them in order oops
> 
> i might order them correctly when its finished but i might not who knows not me

_~~He told him only that he loved him.~~ _

The sky was streaked with reds and oranges and pinks, thin white clouds whispering quietly to the fire that consumed the wide canvas above you. It seemed quiet; the kind of quiet that wasn't really true, as below the sound of cars and people and the cold, mechanical glory of bustling city life carried on unwavering. But the sound of wind rushing in your ears and the smell of gasoline smoke was comforting as you both watched the sun slowly begin dragging it's way up over the silhouette of grey concrete littered with golden lights and the groggily awaking population.

You had decided on a whim to spend the night on the roof instead of in your room. You said because it was too hot in there, he said because he had never slept outside before. It was because both he and you could find solace in the night sky and morning breeze and pretend for a moment that life was perfect. Which it wasn't, for sure, but you had each other and the sagging mattress that you heaved up the many stairs to bundle into with too many comforters and pillows for a humid Texan night.

There is shuffling beside you, so you turn to look at him only to find he is already doing the same to you. Large grey eyes framed with lashes thick and long, messy ebony hair that curls and twists over his golden skin dotted with freckles, cute little pursed lips that hide the slightest of overbites. You wonder what he sees when he looks at you like this.

It seems even quieter than before and nothing has ever been as loud as the silence between you, but it's nice, it's familiar, it's normal. Just like lying here beside him, his little compact body radiating heat like one of those dollar hand warmers that you snap to activate. Just as fragile, but just as potentially dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. There's a slender and pale finger brushing the dark locks back and you watch it as if it wasn't your own, but he keeps watching your face, watching, watching, looking and searching for something. So you offer him a smile, because he says you don't do it enough and you know he likes it when it isn't fake or a smirk or just a hard line. And he smiles back, little creases forming by his eyes and his teeth poking out between his lips.

You decide that you don't need to pretend that life is perfect, because like how it doesn't matter that this isn't. He isn't perfect, you aren't perfect, but nothing is. Imperfections were human and so were you both and you sure as hell didn't want a world without faults.

Just like you didn't want a world without him.

You can imagine in that moment that he could see these things in your face, in your eyes, in the way you were breathing. Maybe he did, because he wets his chapped lips with his tongue and opens it.

"I love you."

It was the first time you ever heard him speak and you can tell from how his voice is a little too loud, a little too rough and a little too broken that he doesn't use it often. But that didn't matter because you loved it and you loved him too. And for a second you really hate that you can't tell him, but you realise again that it also didn't matter as he wouldn't be able to hear you anyway.

So instead you kiss him, you press your lips against his and you kiss him softly beneath the fiery sky and you know he knows. He knows and you're together and that's all that matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you didnt get it bc im not good a things:
> 
> dave's mute  
> karkat's deaf
> 
> also im sorry that these arent long but whatcha gonna do


End file.
